I guess I was ignorantly expecting a pretty lax security process; maybe thinking that our restrictions are strict because we were the ones attacked on 911, and we're the ones all the terrorists are after. But China has enemies too, and obviously in the world we live in today airports have to take precautions.
And, oh yeah, they're a somewhat oppressive, strongly state-controlled country, where people really have no expectation of civil liberties, so the government can pretty much require whatever they think is best for the good of the country as a whole.
And what's good for the country is no one messing around at the airport.
First of all, instead of 200 people standing in line for three security lines, they have like 15 different stations, so the process seems to go quicker. You put your carry-on luggage through the x-ray machine, and then walk through the metal detector. They don't make you take your shoes or your coat off, but there's a trade-off. After passing through, you stand on a little pedestal, stick your arms straight out, and are subjected to an...um...mildly invasive pat-down process. There's a wand involved, and when it's over I really feel like someone should at least have bought me dinner.
They also take the ID checks pretty seriously. At one airport Emily was slightly delayed because she had to convince the woman checking her passport, who didn't speak English, that the photo was actually her. Granted, the photo is eight years old, and not only was Emily's hair straightened in the picture, she was staring off at some spot in the distance rather than looking into the camera. So Emily tilted her chin up, tried her best to look younger, and the woman finally let her in.
This morning, before our flight to Hong Kong, I sent my giant pink flowery checked luggage through the scanner at the check-in desk, and the dreaded red light came on. At this point I have checked this suitcase onto four other flights without a problem, so I was a little confused. The girl at the counter asked if I had a lighter or an other banned items, and I said no. So I had to go back behind the ticket counter and open up my suitcase, to find whatever was located in the spot she was pointing to on the x-ray picture. It turned out to be my cordless hair straightener (which, side note, has turned out to be an awesome Christmas present, thank you Emily). I took out the straightener and the butane cartridge that powers it, and was kind of surprised that the security girl didn't even look at the butane. She inspected the straightener, radio'd someone on her walkie-talkie, and then said I was okay. I just needed to send the suitcase through one more time.
So of course you know what happened next. I re-packed everything, locked up the suitcase, and went to put it back on the scanner, but another passenger's bag was in it already, so she pointed me down to another scanner. I put the suitcase in, and...the dreaded red light. Again. No problem, because she said it was okay- wait- where did she go?!?!
Eventually everything got sorted out, and both me and my luggage made it to Hong Kong.
It only occurred to me much later that I did, in fact, have a lighter in my suitcase, and a rather large one at that- the straightener works by lighting an internal flame, powered by the butane cartridge fuel.
Moral of the story- be on your best behavior in Chinese airports, and always wear your hair curly.
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